Improvement in combined office directories and desks



W. WALTER. COMBINED OFFICE DIRECTORY AND DESK. No.175,215. Patented March 21,1876.

5* SLATE INSIDE 2;

FOR I QfiiMows E Wp'meas e s N.PETERS, FHOTO-LITHOGRAPHEK IWASNKNGTON. D C.

UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFIGE.

WILLIAM WALTER, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN COMBINED OFFICE DIRECTORIES AND DESKS.

Specifi ation forming part of Letters Patent No. 175,215, dated March 21, 1876; application filed December 9, 1875.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM WALTER, of

the city of Washington, and District of Columbia, have invented certain new and useful'Improvements in Combined Office Directory, Letter-Box, and Desk; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable-others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

The nature of my invention consists in the construction and arrangement of a combined office-directory, letter-box, and desk, as will be hereinafter more fully set forth.

Figure 1 shows the device cl0sed.' Fig. 2 shows it open for slate. Fig. 3 shows it open for desk, 8E0.

A represents a box, of any suitable material and dimensions to answer the purpose of an oflice letter-box, and is provided with a hinged lid, B, having an opening, a, for the insertion of the letters or other mail-matter. This lid is intended to be kept locked, and to be opened only by the owner. In the front of the letterbox A is inserted a pane of glass, b, so that it can be seen if there is anything in the box without the trouble of unlocking the same. The back G of the box is extended upward for a suitable distance, and on the front of the same, above the letter-box, is formed a case, E, having a front, D, hinged at its lower end, so as to be turned down and rest upon the letterbox to be used as a desk. The front D is raised and closed by means of springs d d, arrangedeither on the outsideor inside of the case E in any suitable manner to answer the purpose intended. The front or desk D is made in the form of a shallow box or case, within which are pivoted disks G Gr G In the center are two disks, G G, with proper names and figures for a calendar, so as to show through an aperture in the front D the month and date. On the disk G are marked, such places as the occupant of the office will be likely to go while absent from his office, and said disk is to be turned. so as to show the name of the place through another aperture in the front D, over which are the words, Has gone to, or other words of similar import. The disk G is marked with hours and divisions of hours, and is to be turned to show through a third aperture in the front D at what time the occupant of the office will return. Over this aperture are the words, Will return at. The inner side of the front D is provided with a stationary slate, H, upon which unimportant messages may be written. In this connection the springs 01 .d are of importance, as they close the front D, thus preventing the messages on the slate from being accidentally obliterated.

For private communications there is back of the front D, within the case E, hinged a desk, I, and back of the same is a portfolio or receptacle, J, for paper and envelopes, so that letters may be written and then dropped in the letter-box A. In the upper part of the case E, above the devices just described, is a drawer, L, hinged or pivoted at one end, for pens, ink, &c. v

The top part of the back 0 may be used for name, oifice-hours, or any other information calculated to be of service to visitors.

The device thus constructed contains a number of useful and important art cles for an office of any kind where the occupant has to be absent at times, and yet is simple and compact, and may be made highly ornamental, if desired.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

An office-directory, consisting of the case 0 E, the front D, with springs 01, and disks G G G slate H, and drawer L, desk I, portfolio J,

and letter-box A, all constructed and arranged substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

- WILLIAM WALTER.

Witnesses CHAS. G. WOONAN, J o. SEALY. 

